Xi An & Terracotta Army

Xi'an boasts a known history of over 3000 years. Its city wall, dating from the 1300s, still stands intact. Formerly called Chang An, this city was the eastern destination of the Silk Road and served as a capital for the Zhou, Qin, Han, Sui and Tang dynasties. Today it is especially famous for the nearby excavation site of the Terracotta Army dating back to the Qin Dynasty. This vast clay army (likely over 8,000 soldiers, with 300 cavalry horses and 100 chariots and their 400 horses) was intended to serve the emperor in the afterlife. Its existence, however, was forgotten and only discovered in 1974 by a farmer near Xi'an near the Mausouleum of the second Ming Emperor. During our tour we had the opportunity to meet this now-famous farmer.

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